


The Dying Shore

by lferion



Category: Paintings of Donato Giancola
Genre: Gen, Grief/Mourning, Painting, Poetry, Sea and Shore, Structured Form, Yuletide 2012, merfolk
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-12-24
Updated: 2012-12-24
Packaged: 2017-11-22 06:02:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 164
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/606590
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lferion/pseuds/lferion
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Many thanks to J and A for encouragement and thoughtful commentary.</p>
    </blockquote>





	The Dying Shore

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Ghostie](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ghostie/gifts).



> Many thanks to J and A for encouragement and thoughtful commentary.

* * *

The mermaids to the shore come dying,  
 Dying drowned in air  
Their silver scales midst silver foam  
 And seaweed-tangled hair

What wave doth to this sorrow send them?  
 Send them pale and fair  
 No more to swim or siren sing  
 Or under waves to dare

But lie in cold estate, rock cradled  
 Cradled 'neath the stare  
 Of mist-dimmed sun, of keening gulls  
 That cry of loss and care

What shaman of the sea hath wrought this  
 Wrought this sere despair?  
 Why leave the depths of pearl and beryl  
 Grottoes rich and rare

To go where sea and land meet, parlous,  
 Parlous, harsh and bare;  
 No sure return, for mer or man,  
 Avails not love nor prayer

Where shale and sand will greyly greet them  
 Greet them and ensnare  
 Their lissom strength in stoney nets  
 And leave them drowned in air.

What changeling seas do their souls swim now  
 Swim now far to fare?  
 What shores might lovers greet them on  
 That now grieve solitaire?

* * *

**Author's Note:**

> Links to the paintings --
> 
> [Shaman's Loss](http://www.donatoart.com/gallery/shamansloss.html)   
> [The Golden Rose](http://www.donatoart.com/gallery/goldenrose.html)   
> [Voyager: the Offering](http://www.donatoart.com/gallery/voyager-theoffering.html)   
> [The Search for Mother](http://www.donatoart.com/gallery/search.html)


End file.
